Table with buttressed leg joints

Abstract

An article of furniture such as a table has a leg joint formed substantially from a triangular bracing attachment structure coupled between the top of a leg and an underside of the planar top. The top of the leg is not coupled to the planar top directly, the structure forming a triangular brace having an apex at the top of the leg and two apices on the underside of the top, where diverging brace members coupled to the leg are attached. The brace members are disposed in perpendicular planes (e.g., parallel to the edges of the top, such that the triangular brace effectively leans inwardly. Side support members couple adjacent leg joints and provide tension or compression to resist the tendency of the leg to be diverted in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the triangular brace. Preferably the side support members are spaced below the underside of the top, and attach to the joint brace structure but not directly to the leg or to the opposed side support brace. The result is a sturdy structure having an open appearance at the joints.

I claim: 
     
       1. An article of furniture, comprising: means defining a substantially planar support;   a plurality of legs disposed under the support and connected to the planar support by joint members, the legs having an upper end spaced below the planar support to define a gap between the upper end and the planar support;   the joint members comprising at least two bracing members coupled between respective ones of the legs and the planar support across the gap, said bracing members being inclined relative to each respective said leg and relative to the planar support, whereby the two bracing members and the planar support together define a triangle that leans laterally relative to a plane including said leg;   wherein said triangle has three sides formed by the two bracing members and the planar support, respectively, and said gap between the upper end of the leg and the planar support lacks a structural connection between the leg and the planar support apart from the bracing members, which bracing members space the upper end from the planar support such that the triangle exclusively structurally connects the leg with the planar support: and,   side support members extending between the joint members of spaced pairs of the legs, the side support members coupling said pair of legs for distributing at least one of tension and compression forces between the legs of the pair.   
     
     
       2. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the pair of legs are adjacent legs and the side support members are connected to the bracing members of the adjacent legs. 
     
     
       3. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the side support members are coupled to the bracing members at a space below the planar support. 
     
     
       4. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the side support members are coupled to the joint members exclusively at the bracing members. 
     
     
       5. The article of furniture of claim 4, wherein each end of the side support members and the upper end of each associated one of the legs are spaced from one another at the joint members. 
     
     
       6. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the triangle defined by the two bracing members and the planar support leans laterally upward and inward of the article of furniture. 
     
     
       7. The article of furniture of claim 6, wherein the side support members are rigid against tension and compression. 
     
     
       8. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the side support members couple the legs via the joint members in a closed configuration having at least three legs. 
     
     
       9. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the side support members are cantilevered and have ends extending beyond their connections to the bracing members. 
     
     
       10. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the joint members each comprise at least two V-shaped elements attached to the planar support at ends of the V-shaped elements and attached to the associated leg at a bottom of the V-shaped elements. 
     
     
       11. The article of furniture of claim 10, wherein the V-shaped elements are arranged to straddle the side support members. 
     
     
       12. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the joint members include at least one socket for receiving at least one of the associated leg and the side members. 
     
     
       13. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein the joint members are integrally cast. 
     
     
       14. The article of furniture of claim 12, further comprising at least one fastener extending through the socket. 
     
     
       15. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein the socket is threaded. 
     
     
       16. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the side support members are disposed immediately under the planar support. 
     
     
       17. An article of furniture, comprising: means defining a substantially planar support;   a plurality of legs disposed under the support and connected to the planar support by joint members, the legs having an upper end spaced below the planar support;   the joint members comprising at least two bracing members coupled between respective ones of the legs and the planar support, said bracing members being inclined relative to each respective said leg and relative to the planar support, whereby the two bracing members and the planar support together define a triangle that leans laterally relative to a plane including said leg;   side support members extending between the joint members of spaced pairs of the legs, the side support members coupling said pair of legs for distributing at least one of tension and compression forces between the legs of the pair;   wherein the pair of legs are adjacent legs and the side support members are connected to the bracing members of the adjacent legs; and,   wherein the joint members each comprise a plurality of plates, rigidly coupled to one another to form an integral unit, two said integral units being attached to each of the legs to form the bracing members.   
     
     
       18. The article of furniture of claim 17, wherein said units each comprise a generally rectangular and vertical end plate beating against said leg at approximately a right angle to said planar support; a generally rectangular and horizontal end plate, bearing against said planar support substantially above said vertical end plates; and connection-element means extending between the vertical and horizontal end plates. 
     
     
       19. The article of furniture of claim 18, wherein the connection-element means extend in mutually perpendicular planes at approximately 45° to the planar support. 
     
     
       20. An article of furniture, comprising: means defining a substantially planar support;   a plurality of legs disposed under the support and connected to the planar support by joint members, the legs having an upper end spaced below the planar support to define a gap between the upper end and the planar support;   the joint members comprising at least two bracing members coupled between respective ones of the legs and the planar support across the gap, said bracing members being inclined relative to each respective said leg and relative to the planar support, whereby the two bracing members and the planar support together form three sides of a triangle that leans laterally relative to a plane including said leg;   wherein said gap between the upper end of the leg and the planar support lacks a structural connection between the leg and the planar support apart from the bracing members, which bracing members space the upper end from the planar support such that the triangle exclusively structurally connects the leg with the planar support; and,   a plurality of side support members extending between the joint members of spaced pairs of the legs, the side support members coupling adjacent legs in a closed configuration of at least three legs, for distributing at least one of tension and compression forces among the legs, the side support members being spaced below an underside of the planar support such that a vertical load on the planar support produces said at least one of tension and compression forces in the side support members.